Origins Of Humans Flashcards
Describe Catholic Beliefs About Imago Dei
-Imago Dei means ‘in the image of God’ and was taught to Catholics in Genesis, “Let us make mankind in our image.”
-Catholics believe that God has made us uniquely like Him which gives humans a greater status in creation.
-It signifies that humans possess similar mental, moral and social qualities to God showing that He has chosen humans and made them special.
-Catholics also teach that Imago Dei shows that God has given humans a purpose- to reflect God’s nature and character.
Describe Catholic Beliefs in Humanity as Created Imago Dei
-Catholics believe that God has made us in His image, so believe humans are sacred as only they have a God-like soul.
In Genesis, Catholics are taught, “God breathed into him the breath of life.” This shows that Catholics that humans have a special relationship with God as He has made us in His image and given us a soul.
-Therefore, humans are unique as God has only made us like Him and chosen to give us life through the Spirit. As a result, Catholics believe that human life is holy and should be preserved.
How are Catholics Influenced by Belief in Imago Dei
Catholics believe God has made humans uniquely like Him so reject the use of abortion.
-Therefore, they believe life should be preserved from conception to the moment of natural death.
-This is because only God can take life since we are a reflection of His nature.
Describe Jewish Beliefs About Humanity as Created Imago Dei
-Jews believe that humans are created in God’s image so are set apart from the rest of creation.
-In Genesis, Jews are taught,” Let us make mankind in our image,” which shows that God has made us uniquely like Him in a mental, moral, and intellectual nature.
-Therefore, humans also differ from other animals in their self-consciousness and their capacity for moral reflection and growth.
-In turn, Jews believe that humans have authority over the Earth as God has chosen us to be special and like Him.
How are Jews Influenced by Belief in Imago Dei
-Jews will take care of the planet and not to abuse it.
-This is because, although we have been given authority, God has created the planet.
-Therefore it is our duty to protect it as He has specially made us to do so.
Describe St Catherine of Siena’s Teaching About Being Made in the Image of God.
-St Catherine of Siena teaches that it is through the goodness and love of God that we have been created in His image.
-She wrote, “By His creation she is in the image of God … for by love you created her.”
-She compares this to someone looking in a mirror- “in the gentle mirror of God, she sees her own dignity.”
-This describes how recognising the ways we reflect God helps us to recognise our own dignity.
Describe St Catherine of Siena’s Teaching About Conscience
-St Catherine of Siena teaches that the mirror helps us see our own faults, “she sees as well her own unworthiness.”
-By recognising the goodness of God in our own souls, we can recognise the blemishes of our own sinfulness even easier (our conscience).
-This helps us to learn how we can share God’s love with each other as we each see a reflection of Him in ourselves.
Describe Catholic Teachings About the Sanctity of Life
-Catholics believe all human life to be sacred because they believe humans are made in the image of God.
-God said, “Let us make mankind in our image,” which teaches Catholics that all humans have an innate dignity because He has made us like Himself.
-Therefore, from the moment of conception to natural death, all human life should be protected.
How are Catholics Influenced by the Sanctity of Life
-Catholics believe that all human life is sacred.
-Therefore, they will oppose actions such as euthanasia.
-Instead, they will suggest palliative care so that the person can die with dignity as God has made life sacred.
Describe Jewish Teachings About the Sanctity of Life
-Jews believe human life to be sacred because God is creator.
-One of Maimonides 13 principles of faith is “God alone is creator.” Therefore, only He has the power to give or take life.
-This teaches Jews life is sacred because He is the giver of life, “God formed man from dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”
-However, all Jews are committed to Pikuach Nefesh which means putting aside a mitzvot to save a life. This shows that preserving life is placed above following the mitzvot.
How are Jews Influenced by the Sanctity of Life
-Jews believe God alone is creator so it is God alone who can take life.
Therefore, Jews will oppose actions such as abortion because only God can take life.
-However, because of the commitment to Pikuach Nefesh, some Jews may allow abortion.
-This will only be in some circumstances if it means saving someone’s life such as if the mother is at risk.
Describe the Theory of Evolution
-Evolution is a theory created by Charles Darwin which describe the changes in species over time. He observed that all species have a common ancestor so have come from simpler life forms.
-Over millions of years, species have then developed and gone extinct dependant on their ability to survive against new threats.
-Darwin proposed, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, it is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
-As a result, animals in the modern day are linked to their ancestors but have adaptions to survive. Evidence of this comes from fossils.
Describe Catholic Beliefs About Evolution
-Catholics believe evolution is God’s continuous creation through natural processes. This process changes our bodies but our souls remain the same.
-Pope Benedict XVI said, “We are not some meaningless products of evolution each of us is the result of a thought of God.”
This shows that evolution is not random, but God’s will. Therefore, human life has a purpose so is sacred as it is made by God.
-Hence, Catholics believe that there is no contradiction between evolution and evidence of a creator God- “there is no conflict.”
How are Catholics Influenced by Evolution
-God is the reason to the ‘why’ of creation and evolution is the ‘how’.
-Hence, Catholics may contribute to the further development of science.
-They believe science and religion can work together so more Catholics may go into scientific sectors to help both religious and scientific ideas grow.
Evaluate Catholic Teachings About Evolution
-Catholics provide a convincing argument because God often acts over long periods and through processes.
-For example, the 9 weeks in childbirth which allows a foetus to develop and grow into who God has made us.
-Therefore, science does not only explain humanity’s origins as it is God who creates through processes to allow things to develop as He wants.
-This is rather than humans being a random creation which is hard to think about due to the our detail and intricate parts.
Describe Atheist Beliefs About Evolution
-Atheists believe human life was created randomly by evolution so is not special.
-Richard Dawkins describes humans as “Bytes and bytes of information.” This shows that the human body is just a survival machine to protect the genes.
-Therefore, humans are not special, and we have just evolved differently from other animals.
-If animals have changed over time, atheists may find that this is evidence to disprove a creator God as it contradicts the Genesis creation accounts.
-Atheists believe humans were created solely through the process of evolution.
How are Atheists Influenced by Evolution
-Atheists believe evolution is random so life is not special. In turn, they will allow actions such as abortion and euthanasia.
-This is because without God as creator, human life is not sacred. Therefore, humans are no more special than other animals.
-Hence, abortion and euthanasia are permissible.
Evaluate Atheist Teachings About Evolution
-Atheists provide a convincing argument because there is a lot of evidence for evolution yet little evidence for the existence of a God.
-Fossil records and DNA research showing similarities between different species which support evolution.
-However, scripture written thousands of years ago and few eyewitness accounts as evidence for a God is lacking compared to evidence of evolution.
Describe Fundamentalist Beliefs About Evolution
-Fundamentalists read the Genesis accounts as fact so reject evolution.
-2 Timothy says, “all scripture was inspired by God,” which teaches that God inspired the authors of the Bible so it must be true and has no errors.
-Therefore, they believe evolution did not happen and instead “God formed a man from the dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”
This shows that God made humans directly and that they did not develop over time.
-In turn, fundamentalists reject the theory of evolution and instead believe humans were made by God in an instant.
How are Fundamentalists Influenced by Evolution
-Fundamentalists completely reject evolution and only follow Genesis.
-Therefore, they may protest over the teaching of evolution in schools as they only accept the stories from Genesis.
-Fundamentalists do not believe evolution so would not want it taught to children.
Evaluate Fundamentalist Teachings About Evolution
-Fundamentalists provide an unconvincing argument because the Bible was written thousands of years ago when there was little scientific knowledge.
-Therefore Genesis may have been written not to tell a literal story, but a symbolic one.
-Genesis 1 is also a poem which affects its understanding.
Describe Catholic Teachings About Abortion
-Catholics believe life is God given so is His own property and sacred from the first moment of existence.
-Psalm 139 states “You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” This shows that God has made us and suggests he has a plan for us so our lives are sacred from conception.
-As a result, as humans we cannot take a life ourselves, only God can do that.
-Therefore, life must be protected from conception while abortion is an “abominable crime.”
How are Catholics Influenced by Abortion
-Catholics reject the use of abortion so will find other methods of helping the pregnant woman such as through adoption.
-Catholics believe other members of the community have a responsibility to help.
-They may also visit the pregnant woman to offer care and help.
Evaluate Catholic Teachings About Abortion
-Catholics provide a convincing argument because suffering is not always evil.
-Christians argue Jesus’ suffering was good as he saved humans from their sins.
-Therefore, the mother or child suffering in pregnancy, will lead to something greater such as life in Heaven after death.
Describe Humanist Beliefs About Abortion
-Humanists would allow abortion because they believe that human life is not special.
-Peter Singer argues, “the notion life is sacred… is medieval.”
-This shows that the sanctity of life should not be considered when discussing ethical issues as it is outdated.
-Therefore, other ideas should be more heavily considered such as that a person only becomes a person when they are fully conscious and able to think or relate to others.
-Hence, abortion is permissible because humans are not special nor is a foetus truly a person as it is unaware of its existence.
How are Humanists Influenced by Abortion
-Humanists allow abortion so may contact politicians to change laws, so it is easier for a pregnant woman to have access to an abortion, if needed.
-Some may also create private abortion clinics so that they can make a business out of it.
Evaluate Humanist Teachings About Abortion
-Humanists provide a convincing argument because having access to abortion prevents a large number of unsafe, illegal abortions from taking place.
-However, the idea that to be a person one must be conscious is not convincing.
-This is because people remain as a ‘person’ when asleep despite not being fully conscious. Therefore, a foetus should also still be thought of as a person even if not conscious.
Describe Other Christian Beliefs About Abortion
-Other Christians will allow abortion, but only in certain circumstances such as rape.
-This is because humans are made in the image of God so life should be protected. However in times of great suffering, an abortion may be the more loving action.
-The Church of England teach, “The ‘right’ choice is sometimes the lesser of two evils.”
-This shows other Christians an abortion can be permitted in certain circumstances such as if pregnancy poses a risk to the mother’s life.
-However, this does not mean other Christians will often suggest abortion. They believe abortion to be a moral evil so will not promote it.
How are Other Christians Influenced by Abortion
-Other Christians do not like to suggest abortion but believe it must be done if someone will suffer greatly.
-Therefore, they may promote better sex education to prevent unwanted pregnancy in the first place or better policing to decrease the number of rapes.
Evaluate Other Christian Teachings About Abortion
-Other Christians provide a convincing argument because God gave humans free will.
-Therefore, other Christians allowing a choice in certain circumstances does not go against God’s will
